Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), King of Macedonia, lived a life of mythical proportions. He modelled himself on Achilles and slept with a copy of the Iliad, annotated by Aristotle, his teacher, under his pillow. Unrivalled by any historical military figure, he conquered the Mediterranean, Persia, Afghanistan and north-west India during his brief life. By the time he died at the age of 33, he had introduced Greek civilisation to the world.